


He’ll always try his best to save them

by Lilwoofs



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Also this was written at like 2 in the morning, Gen, Gladstone is just trying to save his cousins, I mean its cannonly magic so?, Not Beta Read, also there is blood but not much, it’s just changed up a little, no beta we die like men, not really a magic au?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:14:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29151060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilwoofs/pseuds/Lilwoofs
Summary: 3 times Gladstone had saved his family, one times he couldn’t, one time and they realized how much he was doing.Got the idea well reading ‘NebulaWandersTheStars’ fic ‘Call It Luck You See It’ you should read it
Relationships: Della Duck & Donald Duck & Fethry Duck & Gladstone Gander, Della Duck & Donald Duck & Fethry Duck & Gladstone Gander & Scrooge McDuck
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	He’ll always try his best to save them

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NebulaWandersTheStars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NebulaWandersTheStars/gifts).



> I got the idea from this
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/27468979/chapters/67159489
> 
> Wonderful story

The first time it happened, it was a long time ago.

Gladstone was about 10, he had already been on a couple adventures with Scrooge and his cousins before this. 

But this time was a little different then the others, it’s when it first happened. 

Gladstone put on his backpack, it didn’t have much in it, mostly because if he really needed something his luck will probably give it to him. That still doesn’t mean that he can’t be prepared although. 

“Okay kids, let’s go find that crystal!” Scrooge said, he was smiling. Gladstone smiled too.

Gladstone overall didn’t like going on adventures. But he did at the same time.

He liked hanging out with his cousins and uncle, even if it didn’t always feel like they liked hanging out with him.

Him and Donald fought a lot, he still liked Don, he cared a lot and wanted to make sure no one got hurt, and Gladstone did quite like that about him, but it didn’t stop them from getting into fights.

Della was very nice, but he’s half way convinced that della wants to give him a panic attack, shes always doing something that seems very scary.

Feathery is wonderful and very caring.

He had mixed feelings on Uncle Scrooge, he has done a lot, but unlike the others its very obvious that his uncle doesn’t really like him. His uncle doesn’t hate him or anything like that, but he knows that his uncle doesn’t like him. 

His uncle doesn’t like his luck, he wants him to work for things. Gladstone doesn’t like working that much. 

And it’s understandable enough, but Gladstone can’t exactly control his luck, he’s not sure what it is, or how he got it, but it’s been with him all of his life, it’s not like he can turn it off. 

Sometimes Gladstone wishes he didn’t have his luck.

“So let’s get to it” Don said. 

“Yeah!!” Della said with a lot of excitement. 

Feathery smiled. 

“Well let’s go” Scrooge said.

They soon all got into the plane. 

It was a very big plane. Gladstone walked in and sat down. So did feathery.

Della walked to the front of the plane. Don had to pull her away from the front, insisting that she could not fly a plane. 

Gladstone watched from a far, he agreed with don. 

Don finally got his sister to sit down and buckle up. 

It was a pretty smooth flight. That was good.

They soon got out of the plane, Della ran off, don ran after. Scrooge tried to catch up with them, feathery followed Scrooge. 

And Gladstone followed Scrooge too. He wasn’t sure what else he should’ve done. 

He walked along. 

Traps then sprung out, trapping Scrooge and feathery. 

“Oh no” Gladstone mumbled. He, of course, ‘somehow’ missed all of the traps.

He then moved onwards. It didn’t seem like they where hurt at all, the traps just trapped them, not harmed them.

It looked like it was because of something, so he just needed to put the thing back in place. 

He soon started to run. When he reached a dead end.

In front of him looked like at least a 50 foot drop, probably more.

And, of course, his cousin was dangling from a few fingers. 

Della looked so much smaller as she was about to drop down a big hole. She had something in her other hand.

Gladstone tried to walk to her to try and help her up, but then fire sprung up. He guesses his luck doesn’t work for every trap. 

He saw Della was slipping, he couldn’t bear to watch her fall.

The tips of her fingers are left. 

He doesn’t want her to fall, she can’t fall! As much worry as she normally gives him, or pranks she pulls on him, this is probably as worried as he’s every felt. And he can’t do anything.

All he can do is hope.

And hope he does, he just wants Della to be safe, all of them to be at home and safe. 

He feels drained, he doesn’t want this to happen.

As he open his eyes he sees that his vision is green tinted, it’s sort of nauseating. 

Then he sees the tips of dellas small hands scoot up a little, then he sees the crystal fly up from her other hand, and he sees it land on the floor, without a scratch. Her other hand flew up and she pulled herself up. “Glady!! I’m okay!! You won’t believe it! My foot made a dent in the wall to boost myself! Hahah!!” She dances around, full of adrenaline. 

Gladstone sighs in relief, he feels more drained then he normally feels in the middle of an Adventure, not to mention the weird green tint, it’s gone now, but it was strange. 

He’s just glad Della is okay. 

They soon returned the crystal to the stone and the traps went down.

They walked back into the room where everyone was trapped. Della was a little bit in front of him. 

Don, scrooge, and feathery all went up to hug Della. 

Gladstone stood in the corner, he was just glad they where all safe. 

———

He was about 14 now. 

He’d have done it more by now.

He’s been on more adventures and wished his cousins out of more then you could think of.

They got into a lot of trouble a lot.

It turns out that if he wishes hard enough he can save other people, although it takes a lot of his energy, and sometimes makes him nauseous, but normally it’s not the worst. 

He he ever feels that he’s doing to much, or it hurts more then normal, he normally try’s to speed it up a bit, or at that point theyre on the plane and he can go to sleep.

Sleeping and napping helps, but a lot, but enough. A full nights rest really helps him out. And normally by the next day he’s fine.

The thing is no one really knows. If he told them then they might want him to do more all the time, which would hurt him, if they knew it hurt him then they would try to make him not do it, then they might die or something.

Or, most likely, they just wouldn’t believe him, think that he was trying to just get attention or something. 

He just thought it would be less trouble if he didn’t tell anyone, plus there’s no reason to tell anyone anyways.

But sometimes things happen.

This time don almost fell down, Della almost landed on spikes, and feathery had to walk though a arrow trap. 

Scrooge almost fell a few times too. But luckily he didn’t take as much energy as the others.

So it was a packed day. 

They where mostly far between so it’s wasn’t a Constant energy loss, but his Gladstone’s hands where a little shaky once’s they got the treasure.

“Uch this is so heavy” don complained 

“Well it is gold” Della then said.

“Why can’t Gladstone do it, Gladstone doesn’t do anything” don said.

Gladstone sighed a little.

“Well glady wouldn’t want to pick it up” feathery said.

“Yeah he doesn’t want to do anything” don said.

Della chuckled “yeah true” 

“I do stuff!” Gladstone said, beginning to get tired of them talking behind his back.

“Says the guy whose always knocked out the moment we get back on the plane” Della said in a mumbling tone, that she made sure was loud enough for everyone to hear. 

“Yeah!” Don said.

Gladstone was throwing himself in a rabbit hole here, he didn’t tell them what he was doing, so they couldn’t have known, but he had done so much for them so many times that it feels like they shouldn’t nag him about his sleep.

“What are you kids blabbering about?” Scrooge asked.

“Gladstones being lazy and won’t hold the gold, even though he never does anything” don complains to Scrooge. 

“Well Gladstone” Scrooge started, that was never good, “you should do more work, so carried the blasted thing okay” Scrooge said.

Gladstone really wanted to decline. He don’t really have a choice. 

“Finally doing something useful” don saids. 

Gladstone wants to yell out, or do something, but he knows he can’t. 

His arms shook, they where already shaking, his breath increased.

All his mind was doing was telling him to fall to the ground and give up.

It felt like forever before they reached the plane.

He fell asleep 

Later that day when they reach their home the twins and feathery wake Gladstone up.

They laugh.

“Told you he’d fall asleep” Della said with a smile. 

“This adventure wasn’t even bad” don rolled his eyes. 

“Hey glady, uh you fell asleep but we’re home now” feathery said with a smile, at least feathery was nice.

Gladstone gets up and stretches. 

His cousins poking more fun at him as he went to his room.

He soon closed the door and his family found better things to do.

Gladstone plopped on his bed. Still a bit exhausted.

He wanted to cry. He’s been doing so much, and he hates that most of his family still doesn’t like him. 

Two parts of his brain screaming.

‘They should like me, I save them so much, don’t i at least deserve a little?!’

‘They don’t know! They’re just trying to have fun, they don’t know about all the stuff you do’ 

He put his hands over his ears.

———  
He was about 25 when it happened. 

Della was gone. Lost in space. 

He wasn’t sure what to do.

He had stoped non stop adventuring about 5 years ago or so, he still did adventures just sometimes he took long brakes, he’d reach out to Scrooge and don a lot even on the breaks. He was still saving them a lot. 

They never reached out to him. 

Feathery also stopped adventuring, more so then Gladstone. 

He knew don and Della still did the non stop. 

Della had kids, he knew that too. 

On one of his brakes he got the text from don.

Don had moved out from Scrooge’s place (Gladstone had given him some money to help out) and Della had gone missing.

Presumed dead.

Gladstone knew that everyone had to die eventually.

And that Della was reckless, but that’s why he was there. 

Not because he wanted to be, or anyone else wanted him, to help them, to save them. 

Della had done something reckless. 

He’d thought about it before.

In the others eyes they have always made it out in one piece, knowing Della that would make her think she’s invincible. 

But it was either Della would do more reckless stuff, or she would be dead.

But here she wasn’t, she was dead anyways.

At 26 years old.

Scrooge had to be over 100 years old, and he was still alive, yet della does at 26? 

He should’ve been there, been there to stop her, or to save her. That’s what he’s good for.

Yet the time that they needed him most he wasn’t there.

He was off being lazy, taking his brake. 

Now his cousins was dead.

He didn’t want this, he can’t save her now.

He always saved then, but now she’s gone.

Why wasn’t he there.

He should have been there. 

Dons mad at Scrooge, they won’t go on adventures anymore, witch does mean that he’s hopefully safer, which is very good, but it also means that now don won’t hang out with him. 

He has no excuses now, so he can only hope that his other cousins are safe, and that maybe one day they’ll visit.

That’s getting his hopes up.

———  
He was 35

Della was back. She hadn’t died in space, she was on the moon.

That’s definitely relived Gladstone, he blamed himself for 10 years and she was back, and she was safe. 

Although.... 

It was the morning, Gladstone woke up as usual, he had gotten a text on his phone, it was from Louie, it was something about an adventure they where going on, and something about luck.

He had already known that don and the boys were traveling with Scrooge.

That was nice enough.

Of course, being as they’d never reached out or invited him before, Gladstone said that he’d come.

He packed a small bag, still knowing that his luck would probably cover it, but he still likes to be prepared. 

It turns out that he was the 10000 costumer to walk into a local food srimp place, that had the same founders as the airport, so he got a free plane ticket. 

He ate then got on the plane, duckberg wasn’t that far away and the weather was amazing.

It took a little less then an hour for him to fly there.

With a smile he got a ride offering from a friend of a friend, then was driven to me duck manor. 

He got out of the car, and then the He found a 20 bill on the floor and payed the guy, and then car drove away.

He rung the doorbell.

“Hello” he heard Scrooge’s voice.

“Hello Uncle Scrooge, it’s me, Gladstone” he said with a smile.

“Ugh okay” the gate opened up, he walked in then the gate closed.

He then knocked on the door.

He heard a couple muffled voices undead probably arguing about who will get the door, one person finally opened the door for him.

He looked at the person, he couldn’t believe his eyes. 

“Wha..” he mumbled, frozen.

The person was looking back at him with a smile.

Della duck.

Della duck is dead..

Yet here she is, ten years older, very much so alive. 

“Della..?” He then asked, he was hoping he wasn’t finally going insane. 

“Sup glady” she said, chill, as if she wasn’t gone for ten years and thought dead.

She then chuckled and hugged him. 

It felt nice to be hugged.

“Did you guys seriously not tell Gladstone that Della was back?” Louie asked.

“Yeah that’s a bit weird” Huey agreed.

“Wait” Gladstone started “how long has she been back?” He then asked, he assumed that she hadn’t been here long, but it sounds like she might have.

They would have told him if Della came back.

Right? 

“About 9 months” Huey said.

“9 months?!” Gladstone said “she’s been here for nine months, and I thought she was dead and no one told me??” Gladstone couldnt believe it. 

Nine months.

And no one told him.

They did end up going on that adventure, Della and him talked a bit.

At least he was safe.

She was alive to be saved again.

Noticing that, Della was still a lot of energy, she was falling, or almost landing in spikes still. 

It was a lot, but he was saving them, like he always did. 

———

He was about 36 when they found out.

He had started to go on adventures again more and more, witch meant saving them more and more, saving Della, don, sometimes Scrooge, the kids. And whoever else.

He still didn’t like adventures that much.

But he liked knowing everyone was safe, and hanging out with everyone. 

“Common, remember how we couldn’t get that crystal” Della said to him.

“Yeah you almost fell down a 50ft hole and the others where caught on traps” Gladstone said.

“Yeah you remember!!” Della smiled “well apparently every year the rooms and traps change, this year we can get the crystal!!” Della said with a smile.

New traps, Gladstone did not like the sound of that. 

“Yeah, and what makes you think that?” Gladstone asked.

“Well because we’re older now! We can do this” she smiled. 

“Okay..” Gladstone said still not sounding convinced.

“The kids aren’t going, but feathery is, it can be just like old times” she said.

“Fine fine I’ll do it” Gladstone said.

“Yay!!” Della was excited.

Gladstone got his bag he always had, then went in the plane.

It was a different plane then when they where younger, but it was still very big.

This time Della was aloud to fly, for she was 37 and not 11 anymore, and she had a flying license, or he at least hoped she did.

He sat down, made sure to buckle up. And he waited for them to arrive.

They soon did, the landing was pretty smooth, and then the doors opened up, he got out.

He saw the familiar cave, that apparently has some new traps, great. 

This time they stuck together better.

Don almost fell down some stairs, Della almost got shot with an arrow. A rock fell and almost hit feathery, don got stuck in a electrical net, Della hit a floor bored and they all almost got shot with arrows, and Scrooge found a fake crystal that was poison to the touch, and then Della broke the crystal witch unleashed poison gasses, then feathery fell down a hole.

And of course everyone got out with barely a scratch

That is to say that Gladstone was exhausted.

A permanent, but light, green tint was all around his sight, his stomach hurt and his hands and legs where shaking, he felt tired as the others ran onward.

They soon found the room the crystal was in, after a failed attempt, that made the room on fire, and used up way more of Gladstone energy, they got the crystal.

Now they had to walk back.

Gladstone felt like he was going to puke. But instead a little bit of blood came from out of his mouth, that cannot be good. 

He had worked hard before, but never this hard, at least not that he can remember.

His hands wouldn’t stop shaking, he could barely walk, his eye sight turned more and more green, and he felt like he was dying. 

Della of course fell over, he had wished for the spike pit to go down and for her to not fall on it.

It worked.

But his eyes turned a bit more green and he felt tears prick the corners of his eyes as blood started dripping from his mouth.

He could bearly think, he was so shaky, if he could think he’s sure it would be a ‘oh no, that’s not good’. 

He wasn’t sure how close the plane was, but he hoped that they where close.

His breathing got heavier as he tried not to breath in some of the blood pouring from his mouth, he shook and shook. His legs not able to go as fast as the others. He was starting to get left behind. 

“Hey..” he tried to use the most normal voice he could “how long until we reached the plane” Gladstone asked.

Luckily talking to them slowed them down a little.

“Not to far away” don replies.

“Oh come on, sure a lot of things happened, but not even Donald is that tired, you’re fine” Della said. 

“Yeah, you can sleep on the plane all you like but no need to be dramatic about it” Scrooge then added.

Gladstone legs gave out, he tried to move his hands, only for it to slightly move, and hurt, he tried to get up, but his head was spinning, he was shaking to much, and he was moving to slowly.

His heart speed up, they left the room, he knows they did, he couldn’t move, he couldn’t talk, he tried to open his mouth but only blood came up and it hurt, there was no getting out of this on.

He saved the others. But he couldn’t save himself.

Don and them kept walking, Donald soon noticed how quiet it was.

“Uncle Scrooge” Donald said.

“What is it?” Scrooge turned to Donald and asked.

“Where’s Gladstone” he then asked.

Della, Scrooge and feathery all looked back, just to find that Gladstone was no where in sight. 

They panicked a bit, and soon retraced their steps. 

They soon saw a body on the floor, the body of Gladstone, they rushed over to it.

“Is he okay” feathery asked.

“Is that blood?” Della asked 

“Looks like it” Scrooge says.

“You don’t think..” Della started not having to finish it.

“No.. it can’t be” feathery said.

Donald then flipped him to his front.

Gladstone’s eyes where wide open, but they where different, they were green, and looked to be a little glow-y, the blood also seemed to be coming from his mouth. 

“That doesn’t seem good” Donald said.

They soon carried him to the plane, all hoping he’d be okay.

Gladstone awoke with all of his cousins around him.

They where talking to eachother, not anything that he could hear.

“Guys he’s awake” feathery then said.

Della and don got quite.

“Hey glady” Della said in a soft voice.

“Hey” don also said.

“Hello” Gladstone tried to say, his voice a little raspy.

“Are you feeling better” don asked, he looked worried.

They all looked worried, Gladstone doesn’t feel that bad anymore.

Still hurts a bit in is stomach, and still a little shaky when he tries to movie, but he was getting better. 

“Yeah” Gladstone said with a smile, but mostly he didn’t want them to be so worried.

Scrooge then came in.

“Oh good you’re awake.” Scrooge started.

Gladstone just nodded.

“Do you mode telling me what happened?” Scrooge said.

“Nothing” is all Gladstone replied.

“Really?” Scrooge asked “I don’t think you pass out, bleed and have your eyes turn green from nothing” Scrooge says.

“Well it’s nothing to worry about” Gladstone then says. 

“You passed out, you bled! I think we should be a little worried” Scrooge said.

His cousins seemed to agree.

Gladstone stayed quiet for a little “you know how I have luck” he then started out.

Scrooge squinted his eyes “yes..?” He said.

“Well, if I focus jt enough on something, or more specifically some one, I can make them do something or give them luck or something” Gladstone explains a little poorly.

But they still seemed to understand it. 

“Okay” Scrooge says, as if saying, go on.

“Well when I do that I get nauseous, and you know happens” Gladstone said.

“Wait wait this is all happening because of your luck” don asked.

“Yep” Gladstone said.

“What are you even doing?” Scrooge asked.

Gladstone did a quiet chuckle “did you seriously think that you survived spikes and traps and falling and fire on your own?” He said as a rhetorical question.

“Oh” is all Della could say.

“You guys seem to love to get hurt” Gladstone said. 

“So your risking you well being to save us?” Don asked. 

“You becha” Gladstone said. 

“Why would you do that?” Don asked.

“Because that’s what I do, I have luck, I wast my Energy on saving you guys on your adventures, I sleep in the plane, and rest the whole day, forgive me if I don’t want to see you guys get hurt or die” Gladstone said.

“But you’re getting hurt!” Don said.

“Wait” Scrooge said “how long have you been doing this?” He then asked.

“Ever since I was 10” Gladstone shrugged.

“Really? And you haven’t told any of us” Della asked. 

“It didn’t seem like I needed to” Gladstone get explained.

“Does it hurt the other times?” Feathery asked, worried.

“I mean.. uh” Gladstone sweat nervously “no, not really” he lied.

They looked at him.

“I mean they made me a bit nauseous, and shaky, and it drained me, but nothing as bad as today.

“You need to tell us when something like that happens okay” Scrooge said.

“Yeah! We need to know this stuff so you don’t get hurt” don said. 

Della and feathery agreed. 

Gladstone nodded. “Okay okay, if something like that happens then I’ll tell you guys” he said.

“You better” Della said.

“I will” Gladstone said.

——

He was never done with saving them. 

But they did go easier on him.

It was nice.


End file.
